H: (Mentally muttering) Great. One of those.
(Verbally) "Good morning Bob, (names have been changed to protect the
Bob: Still reading the magazine. "What? You're gonna have to speak up." (He's not old, 50s)
H: Repeat myself louder and still maintain cheerfulness. "Any concerns with your mouth today?"
B: "What? Oh, no." Resumes reading terribly important article.
I take the necessary x-rays in his really small mouth and begin the scaling.
Heavy, thick, sticky, nasty plaque. My favorite first thing in the morning. (Heavy sarcasm)
As I scale and gross myself out I know he doesn't care and I don't care to waste my time and efforts trying to convince him of the err of his tooth brushing ways. But it is my duty and I tactfully inform him of my findings and so on and so forth.
He doesn't care. His attitude says for me to shut it and quit the lecture. I do and resume the tedium of scaling crap out of his smelly little mouth. The mouth that has lips that tighten and restrict my access to the lower front teeth, the same mouth that houses the busy tongue that follows my instruments and impedes my vision. Yes, the very same mouth that will return in 6 months in the same condition.
I finish and sit him up, he resumes reading the dang magazine, which is more important and interesting than the services I just provided. The feeling is mutual; I would rather read the magazine than clean his teeth.
I schedule his next appointment.
With the other hygienist.

